Housing construction for rack-mounted electronic equipment

Abstract

A housing for an electronic apparatus capable of being mounted in a rack by a rack ear is presented, the housing including an upper housing portion having a top and left and right sides, wherein each of the sides of the upper housing portion has an upper groove portion defined therein, the upper groove portion formed by a indentation formed in each of the sides; a lower housing portion having a bottom and left and right sides, wherein each of the sides of the lower housing portion has a lower groove portion defined therein, the lower groove portion formed by a indentation formed in each of the sides, wherein the upper housing portion and the lower housing portion cooperate to form the housing, and further wherein, when the upper housing portion and the lower housing portion are combined to form the housing, the upper groove portion and the lower groove portion combine to form a track groove shaped to receive a rack mounting ear are formed on the left and right sides of the housing.

1. A housing for an electronic apparatus capable of being mounted in a rack by a rack ear, comprising:
 a. an upper housing portion comprising a top and left and right sides, each of the left and right sides having a front and a rear, wherein each of the sides of the upper housing portion comprises an upper groove portion defined therein, the upper groove portion formed by a indentation formed in each of the sides;  
 b. a lower housing portion comprising a bottom and left and right sides, each of the sides having a front and a rear, wherein each of the sides of the lower housing portion comprises a lower groove portion defined therein, the lower groove portion formed by a indentation formed in each of the sides,  
 
       wherein the upper housing portion and the lower housing portion cooperate to form the housing, and 
       further wherein, when the upper housing portion and the lower housing portion are combined to form the housing, the upper groove portion and the lower groove portion combine to form a track groove shaped to receive a rack mounting ear on the left and right sides of the housing. 
     
     
       2. The housing of  claim 1  wherein the upper groove portion comprises a wider portion disposed near the rear of the sides of the upper housing portion and extending closer to the top of the upper housing portion and a narrower portion disposed closer to the front of the sides of the upper housing portion than the wider portion and not extending as close to the top of the upper housing portion as the wider portion. 
     
     
       3. The housing of  claim 2  wherein the lower groove portion comprises a wider portion disposed near the rear of the sides of the lower housing portion and extending closer to the bottom of the lower housing portion and a narrower portion disposed closer to the front of the sides of the lower housing portion than the wider portion and not extending as close to the bottom of the lower housing portion as the wider portion. 
     
     
       4. The housing of  claim 3  wherein the track groove formed from the combination of the upper groove portion and the lower groove portion has a front-most narrow portion and a rear-most wide portion. 
     
     
       5. The housing of  claim 4  which further comprises a rack ear having a front-most narrow portion and a rear-most wide portion and shaped so as to be capable of being received in each of the track grooves. 
     
     
       6. The housing of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the upper track groove portions and lower track groove portions comprise a slot formed by forming a lip about at least a portion of the periphery of the at least one of the upper track groove portions and lower track groove portions. 
     
     
       7. The housing of  claim 6  wherein the lip formed about at least a portion of the periphery of the at least one of the upper track groove portions and lower track groove portions is integral with the unindented body of the side of the housing on which it is located. 
     
     
       8. The housing of  claim 6  which further comprises a rack ear having a front-most narrow portion and a rear-most wide portion and shaped so as to be capable of being received in each of the track grooves. 
     
     
       9. The housing of  claim 8  wherein the rack ear comprises a lip portion formed in at least a portion of its periphery, the lip portion sized to be received in the slot formed in at least one of the track grooves. 
     
     
       10. The housing of  claim 1  which further comprises a rack ear shaped so as to be capable of being received in each of the track grooves. 
     
     
       11. The housing of  claim 10  wherein the rack ear comprises an ear portion capable of being mounted to a rack for electronic apparatus. 
     
     
       12. The housing of  claim 1  which further comprises a front panel having extensions therefrom which have mounting holes for mounting to a front portion of a rack for electronic apparatus. 
     
     
       13. The housing of  claim 1  wherein the housing comprises a housing for an audio amplifier. 
     
     
       14. The housing of  claim 1  wherein the upper and lower housing portions are each formed of die cast aluminum. 
     
     
       15. A housing construction for a rack mounted electronic apparatus, comprising:
 an upper housing portion, having at least two upper track groove portions defined therein;  
 a lower housing portion, having at least two lower track groove portions defined therein, the upper and lower housing portions being fitted together to form a housing such that the upper and lower track groove portions together define first and second track grooves on opposite sides of the housing; and  
 first and second sliding rack ears received in the first and second track grooves, for mounting the apparatus in a rack.  
 
     
     
       16. The housing construction of  claim 15  wherein the upper and lower housing portions are each constructed of die cast aluminum. 
     
     
       17. The housing construction of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a die cast aluminum front housing panel attached to the upper and lower housing portions;  
 a die cast aluminum rear housing panel attached to the upper and lower housing portions;  
 the rear housing panel having at least one air aperture defined therein; and  
 the front housing panel having at least one air aperture defined therein.  
 
     
     
       18. The housing construction of  claim 15  wherein the rack ears comprise an ear portion capable of being mounted to a rack for electronic apparatus. 
     
     
       19. The housing construction of  claim 18  wherein the rack ears have a front-most narrow portion and a rear-most wide portion and are shaped so as to be capable of being received in each of the track grooves. 
     
     
       20. The housing construction of  claim 15  wherein the housing comprises a housing for an audio amplifier. 
     
     
       21. A housing for an electronic apparatus capable of being mounted in a rack by a rack ear, comprising:
 a. an upper housing portion comprising a top and left and right sides, each of the left and right sides having a front and a rear, wherein each of the sides of the upper housing portion comprises an upper groove portion defined therein, the upper groove portion formed by a indentation formed in each of the sides;  
 b. a lower housing portion comprising a bottom and left and right sides, each of the sides having a front and a rear, wherein each of the sides of the lower housing portion comprises a lower groove portion defined therein, the lower groove portion formed by a indentation formed in each of the sides,  
 wherein the upper housing portion and the lower housing portion cooperate to form the housing, and  
 further wherein, when the upper housing portion and the lower housing portion are combined to form the housing, the upper groove portion and the lower groove portion combine to form a track groove shaped to receive a rack mounting ear on the left and right sides of the housing,  
 wherein at least one of the upper track groove portions and lower track groove portions comprise a slot formed by forming a lip about at least a portion of the periphery of the at least one of the upper track groove portions and lower track groove portions,  
 c. a rack ear having a front-most narrow portion and a rear-portion wide portion and shape so as to be capable of being receive in each of the track grooves, the rack ear comprising a lip portion formed in at least a portion of it periphery, the lip portion size to be receive in the slot formed in at least one of the track grooves.  
 
     
     
       22. A housing for an electronic apparatus capable of being mounted in a rack by a rack ear, comprising:
 a. an upper housing portion comprising a top and left and right sides, each of the left and right sides having a front and a rear, wherein each of the sides of the upper housing portion comprises an upper groove portion defined therein, the upper groove portion formed by a indentation formed in each of the sides;  
 b. a lower housing portion comprising a bottom and left and right sides, each of the sides having a front and a rear, wherein each of the sides of the lower housing portion comprises a lower groove portion defined therein, the lower groove portion formed by a indentation formed in each of the sides,  
 wherein the upper housing portion and the lower housing portion cooperate to form the housing, and  
 further wherein, when the upper housing portion and the lower housing portion are combined to form the housing, the upper groove portion and the lower groove portion combine to form a track groove shaped to receive a rack mounting ear on the left and right sides of the housing, and  
 c. a front panel having extensions therefrom which have mounting holes for mounting to a front portion of a rack for electronic apparatus.